141 – The “Tang” in Tang Clan is Sugarcane Sugar #1
“Looks like you’ve won the championship, right?”
At the newly built airport in Shanghai.
My mom spoke to me briefly.
“I don’t know the details, but good job! You’ve always been the type to never settle unless you win every competition you enter.”
It was about time for my family to return to Korea. Their luggage seemed full, as if they had enjoyed their travel to the fullest.
“Bong Bong Kalilnoi! It’s such a cute nickname! Way better than my brother pretending to be some kind of legend! Bong Bong, come to Korea with me! I’ll take good care of you!”
As usual, my younger sister targeted Kalilnoi.
Of course, Kalilnoi promptly scampered off to a distance, while Kkungkkungi, Ahn Ahn, and Bang Bang also hid from my sister’s view.
She frowned, pushing her sunglasses up to her forehead.
“Really, what is it about my brother that makes animals follow him? You’re always causing fights between them. I could take much better care of them! I’d take them for walks every day!”
Always causing fights among the animals. It seemed she viewed me like some sort of cruel dogfighting master. In strict terms, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
However, there was one misconception on Hai Rae’s part.
“These guys actually love to fight more than anything.”
Kkungkkungi, Ahn Ahn, and Bang Bang were all filled with an instinctive, fiery fighting spirit deep in their hearts.
Just like most dogs enjoy going for a walk, my friends needed to vent their energy through combat. Lately, although Bang Bang and Kkungkkungi have been getting along, they used to fight every day when they first met.
“Yil Do.”
At that moment, my dad called me.
He was usually a man of few words, so whenever he spoke, people naturally paid attention.
He wiped his glasses casually with a towel and spoke.
“I don’t know what it is, but make sure you finish it and come back safe. These days, I live off boasting to my friends about you.”
Indeed.
It was support.
I, Haildo, who used to be a forgotten burden in the corner of a room, had apparently transformed back into someone to brag about.
SWISH.
Mom hugged me and whispered something in my ear.
“Yil Do, your mom won’t mind even if you bring back a foreign daughter-in-law. It’s a globalized era now, right? I heard that awakened males in Korea are popular abroad. Perhaps you…”
This was a little embarrassing.
Anyway.
With such sentiments, my family boarded the plane back to Korea and took off.
Now, it was just the rest of us.
“Let’s go too. To Sichuan.”
Sichuan Province.
The place sounded like a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, but I also boarded the plane.
It wasn’t an ordinary plane but a private jet owned by the Tang Clan. It was quite surprising which family could actually afford such luxuries.
“The sky… every time this Inoi boards this thing, it’s amazing to think I’m flying…”
Inoi loved flying.
It seemed that for nymphs, flying was like achieving some lifelong dream or aspiration.
“Hooh, Core So-hae is wealthy, isn’t she? The sister from Illinois must indeed have set her sights on Core’s wealth…! She likes rich people…”
Illinois loved private jets.
Luxury must suit her well.
However…
The expression on Seo Ye-rim’s face had been less than pleasant since earlier.
“If Illinois has a sister and wants me to take care of her… maintenance fees will double annually. Twice what Illinois is using now…”
I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant, but it seemed like she was deeply concerned.
As an S-rank and a member of a wealthy family, Seo Ye-rim probably had deep and grave concerns that were beyond the imagination of someone like me, Haildo.
SMACK.
I clapped.
“Alright, let me briefly explain the outline of the mission. It’s fairly simple. We find that ‘witch’ who might be dominating the Tangs in Sichuan and liberate them.”
The liberation of Tang meant that Aunt Tang Yingying and her daughter, Xiao Xiao, would become free.
This was the reason I had come to China. Inoi added her opinion, saying, “In the Limbu Forest of Sichuan, I want to find the ‘Typhoon Flower’…”
I thought it was a good idea.
With that, we arrived in Sichuan Province.
Even though China is vast, flying made it relatively quick.
“Surprisingly better environment…! You can smell money everywhere here…”
Illinois was busy picking fights with people here and there since we arrived in China. But this Sichuan area evidently pleased her greatly.
Could it be the rough terrain and dense forests of Sichuan?
Forests, mountains, and rivers—elements that were undeniably linked to nymphs. They would indeed belong with each other.
Not long after, Oinoi added,
“The roads are clean, and tall buildings abound…! No nymph-hating nature here means this is a great environment for nymphs!”
“Nymph-hating nature” — I had to adjust my understanding of nymphs.
The 21st century-bound nymphs seemed to prefer developed urban environments rather than pristine nature.
Come to think of it, when I had told the Dean Fang Sung-hyun that nymphs should return to nature, they responded, “Why don’t you return to nature then!” and beat him up repeatedly.
Thanks to that beating, Dean Fang became a naturalist living in an apple orchard.
Anyway, it appeared that nymphs adapted well to modern civilization. Should I congratulate them for blending into the 21st century or lament their distance from their origins? This was confusing.
Soon, Tang So-hae looked around and spoke,
“The Sichuan region is one of the few places in China where Rifts appear, benefiting from the 5th industry. Though it was once considered an unfortunate land due to earthquakes, it’s a blessing now.”
The Tang family’s fame among martial houses supposedly stemmed from the Rifts appearing frequently in the Sichuan region.
T-grade Rifts opened once a year.
“To citizens of Korea, where T-grade Rifts open over fifty times a year, this might sound funny, but even this one opening is crucial.”
The economic impact of a T-grade Rift opening was astronomical.
Just how much? Energy consumption in this Sichuan region for an entire year was sufficiently covered and even exceeded by the energy obtained from one annual T-grade Rift.
Soon, the well-informed Seo Ye-rim added a few words,
“Therefore, countries around the world are researching how to control Rifts—to open and close them at will. If you can freely open and close T-grade Rifts, it’s akin to having unlimited energy.”
It was a promising story.
And yet, I felt slightly uneasy.
Though Rifts are places filled with mystery, adventure, romance, and treasures, they were inherently dangerous spaces as well.
Could humanity completely control this situation? As I pondered that, black vehicles approached us.
“Miss. We have been waiting for you.”
Men in black Chinese attire approached and bowed before Tang So-hae.
# # #
The mansion where Tang So-hae lived was located right in the center of Chengdu City.
To be precise, it was on the roof of a fifty-story high building. Surprisingly, there were an artificial pond and bamboo forests, making everything quite remarkable.
I couldn’t help but wonder how much money went into constructing such a place.
Surely it was a sum far beyond my imagination!
“All locations here are under surveillance. The only safe place for our conversation is this warehouse. Dad is waiting for you there, so come quickly!”
We entered a warehouse that seemed out of place even within this luxurious rooftop mansion.
“Let’s meet the head of the Tang family.”
SWISH.
Tang So-hae bowed respectfully before a man in a black suit. He was Tang Houlu, the current head of the Tang family.
Inoi exclaimed,
“Tang Houlu… for some reason, it sounds like a very nymph-friendly name!”
I agreed.
It sounded like something made by dipping fruit onto a stick and coating it with solidified sugar.
“Little Seo-hai. You’ve come well. And you are Haildo? From Seo-hai, I have heard a brief outline of the situation. You’re willing to help us…?”
Spoken like one revealing something that shouldn’t be said, Tang Houlu inquired.
I placed my hand on his chest.
“Come forth!”
“Kehk!”
PLOP.
The “Shadow Centipede” vomited forth by Tang Houlu.
Inoi caught it swiftly and placed it into a glass jar. Tang Houlu looked amazed and exclaims.
“Exactly like what my daughter said—you make it vomit out solitude! Incredible!”
This “Shadow Centipede” was a special poison spell created by the Tang witch. Tang clan members swallowed them, leading to constant surveillance within their bodies.
“She lured them with tales of how these make one healthier before making them ingest the small pills. Inside grew centipedes that controlled these people… That witch is worse than the Communist Party.”
Tang Houlu sorrowfully said. Meanwhile, my back was covered in cold sweat. Centipedes growing inside someone’s body? It was horrifying!
“Was everyone deceived by that girl?”
“When I carried this poison within me, I did feel healthier, and I woke up every morning refreshed… But how can one weigh that against freedom? On top of that, our family’s fortune, built over countless generations, has been dwindling month by month because of her extravagance… It would be shameful to face our ancestors!”
Tears streamed down Tang Houlu’s face. He mentioned that the witch spent the equivalent of about a billion won a year from the family fortune.
A billion won.
1,000,000,000.
It was an astronomical amount of money.
Imagine what you could do with that much money!
It was almost impossible to even visualize.
Seo Ye-rim, too, frowned deeply upon hearing this story.
“Wait, spending a billion won annually… seems to use less than Illinois…”
MUHUH-HA.
Illinois grinned wickedly, clenched her fists, and shouted.
“Understood, shall we… The wicked nymph wasting someone else’s money as if it were her own must be disciplined properly…”
PLOP!
Illinois rushed out of the warehouse and called out loudly.
“Is the poison nymph here? Come here at once! Sister Illinois has arrived!”
This was indeed a straightforward approach.
Would simply calling out like this really bring the opponent?
Then, someone appeared beneath the curving eaves of an Oriental style building.
A nymph in a purple Chinese dress.
“The noise is familiar to my ears…! However, calling one’s grandmistress at will is unacceptable…! Hand over the sugar you possess immediately! All sugar in the world belongs to this grandmistress!”
Her appearance with two buns styled like a doughnut was striking, and her speech was quite peculiar.
Did her translation magic malfunction like Illinois’?
“Definitely the appearance of the legendary Tyrennole…! Tyrennole…! Did this sister forget the face of Illinois? We once played together in the forest!”
“Tyrennole…”
The purple-haired nymph muttered her name softly. Illinois explained as if to refresh her memories.
“Did you forget the precious memories I placed ‘shadow centipedes’ into your pocket and pushed you into the mud? Such a nymph-hating reaction!”
GRIMACE.
The purple-haired nymph frowned.
“Tyrennole… I don’t recall such a name!”
“Seeing my sister become an unnamed nymph who lost her memories is extremely shocking! Now, I must erase this amnesia with severe punishment! A beating from Illinois will surely restore her memory! Let’s do it…”
Illinois, with clenched fists, charged at the purple nymph.
Simultaneously, the purple-haired Chinese nymph clenched her fists and charged toward Illinois as well.
DOODODODODOOODOODODODODOD!
Their fist clashes were the picture of equality itself!
I was amazed that Illinois, known for her relentless punches, and even Oinoi, who aimed to be the supreme nymph, considered equal combat with the latter.
“Clearly, these two are sister nymphs, as indicated by their equally matched skills! This Oinoi understands!”
Oinoi exclaimed in admiration.
And the onlooking Tang Houlu, head of the Tang family, was greatly alarmed, breaking into cold sweat!
“Such supreme nymph martial arts… Our Tang family is surely doomed under the clash of these bizarre forest immortals! HIIEEEE…!”
SWISH!
Tang Houlu’s forehead suddenly lost a great amount of hair.
It was at that moment.
Illinois called out,
“Sister Oinoi, please assist me! Double punches will definitely work effectively!”
“Understood…”
PLOP!
Oinoi charged in, aiding Illinois.
DOODODODODODOD!
Upon facing both nymphs at once, the purple-haired nymph said, “Gah, this is unfair!” before swiftly fleeing.
“We’ll see about that…”
“MuHAHA, this Illinois chased away the wicked nymph who squanders family wealth amounting to one billion won a year…! So, an annual donation of one and a half billion won as a sign of gratitude would be proper!”
SWISH!
Tang Houlu’s hair completely vanished, leaving his head smooth like a candy!
